Pest identification
What's eating my kentia palm?
Spider mites
Signs: Pale flecking and bronzing of leaflets; fine webbing; fronds may yellow in severe infestations.
Control: Shower the plant to dislodge mites; raise ambient humidity; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly.
Scale insects
Signs: Hard brown bumps on leaf stems (petioles) and frond undersides; dripping honeydew.
Control: Scrape off; apply horticultural oil sprays on a 10-day schedule for at least three treatments.
Mealybugs
Signs: Cottony white deposits at crown and petiole bases; stunted new fronds.
Control: Swab with isopropyl alcohol; apply neem oil spray; treat soil if root mealybugs are suspected.
Keep kentia palm pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Kentia palm pests — FAQ
What is eating my kentia palm?
Kentia palm is one of the most pest-tolerant houseplant palms, but spider mites are still its chief weakness in dry indoor air. Scale insects and mealybugs can appear on the stems. Thrips occasionally streak the leaflets. Adequate humidity, clean leaves, and periodic showering of the whole plant in a bath or outdoors are highly effective preventive measures.
How do I get rid of spider mites on kentia palm?
Pale flecking and bronzing of leaflets; fine webbing; fronds may yellow in severe infestations. Shower the plant to dislodge mites; raise ambient humidity; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil weekly.
How do I get rid of scale insects on kentia palm?
Hard brown bumps on leaf stems (petioles) and frond undersides; dripping honeydew. Scrape off; apply horticultural oil sprays on a 10-day schedule for at least three treatments.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on kentia palm?
Cottony white deposits at crown and petiole bases; stunted new fronds. Swab with isopropyl alcohol; apply neem oil spray; treat soil if root mealybugs are suspected.